Never Alone
by Dancin'Andy
Summary: Takes place shortly after the chuunin exam arc. Gaara tries to finally end his life once and for all, but Naruto has other plans. GaaNaru NaruGaa Friendship
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This would take place a couple of months after the Chuunin Exams, which would be around October. I think that this is safe for anyone who isn't a fan of this pairing. So anyways, I really hope you like it. Please review; it only takes you a few seconds, and it helps me to become a better author… and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Chapter 1

Gaara

This is attempt number forty-two; I've actually kept track of how many times I've tried to put an end to this miserable existence of mine. But the other attempts were all complete and utter failures – I didn't even manage to hurt myself – and they continue to block my one chance of escape from this hell-on-earth people so casually call "life." But this forty-second time will be different; I'm doing something I haven't yet tried.

I'm standing on the very edge of a tall and steep cliff, and below me waits a long river with an overwhelmingly strong current, flowing down to a dangerous waterfall. It's an odd sensation, knowing that nothing can save me from the deadly waters below. I finally found a hole in my defenses, or at least I think so.

I might die by being skewered by one of the jagged rocks in the water. But if I miss them, then I might smack my head on the floor of the river hard enough to drown there, if the water's shallow enough and if I get enough momentum. If not, the strong currents will carry me downstream – I probably wouldn't be able to resist them even if I _could_ swim – and I'll probably drown, unable to stay above the water to breathe. Whether I'm dead by then or not, I'll be swept all the way to the waterfall, where I'll plummet into the shallow lake below. And if _all_ of that doesn't manage to kill me, then I guess _nothing_ will, at least for the time being.

I really thought this one through. Obviously the desert I live in doesn't have any places like this, so I had to come a pretty long way to find this spot. I think I'm just outside the borders of Konohagakure, right around the general area where I fought Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke not too long ago. I shudder slightly at the memories; a strange feeling is coursing through my body, and it's difficult for me to comprehend. Is this… what they call…? Regret?

I came to this place alone – of course – and without proper – or any – consent from neither Konoha nor Suna. But why bother asking if I'm just rushing over here to kill myself? I'm only doing them all a big favor. It's not like anyone will miss me when and if they find out I'm dead. In fact, right now there's probably not a single soul who's worried about me or even cares that I'm gone… Have they even noticed I left? I wonder if anyone will come to my funeral… Will they even have a funeral for a monster like me?

I inch forward a little, and my toes are now over the edge of the cliff. I take a deep breath and try to calm down again. I edge forward even further, and now I'm at the point where it's hard to maintain my balance… But why am I even balancing? For what purpose do I hesitate like this? Why am I clinging to this wretched life? This is what I've wanted for so long; I can finally end it all with one small step forward. Or even better, all I have to do is lean a little-

"Gaara?" I hear someone call from behind me, and I take a step back and away from the cliff's edge in surprise, "Is that really you?" the voice continued. For some odd reason, I could have sworn that the voice sounded just like Uzumaki Naruto's. But it can't be him, because why the hell would he…? I turn around to face whoever called me, and it takes a moment for me to take it all in and realize that the spiked golden blonde hair… Those bright blue eyes… That obnoxiously bright orange and blue outfit… It really _is_ him, and I'm not just imagining things.

I don't answer him, and so many questions fill my mind. If he assumed it was me standing here, then why did he still approach me? And what does he want? Does he want revenge for his "friends?"

I'm already facing him, and when I finally make eye contact, his whole body tenses up, and I can see in his expression that he's really nervous – even more nervous than I am – like I'm going to suddenly attack him or something. But I don't blame him; not after all of the horrible things I did and threatened to do to him and his friends… There's that "regretful" feeling again. He looks at me and scans my body, and he visibly relaxes when he realizes that I'm unarmed and completely defenseless… And my expression right now isn't that threatening… Or at least I think so.

"What are you doing here?" he asks me casually, like we're close friends… And he's smiling at me… I'm really puzzled; why is he being so nice to me? I thought he hated me… _loathed_ me, like everyone else does… Especially after everything…

It seems as though he was oblivious to it until just now, but he looks at me again and realizes where I'm standing. He must have pieced it together with how I was positioned earlier, looking like I was about to commit suicide.

"Wait a minute… Gaara… Don't tell me… That you were about to…" he trails off, and swallows loud enough for me to actually hear it.

He didn't finish, but I answer him anyways, since I know what he was going to ask, "Yeah," I say with a blank tone. He cringes slightly and bites his lower lip, fidgeting a little bit.

"Why?" he murmurs, and involuntarily, the pitch of his voice rises and trembles as he says it. He looks really pathetic, but not in a horrible way… I's almost… Sweet. I've never been on the receiving end of that kind of expression or tone of voice before. It's almost like he's pleading with me. Maybe he's… worried? No, that can't be it. Why would he be worried about me? No one worries about me... So I still don't understand why he's taking the time to talk to me like this.

"Why do you even care?" I shoot back at him, scowling. I want to take it back now, because my voice just sounded so cold and threatening, which is pretty much automatic to me now. It isn't usually a problem, because other people don't care about my feelings, so I've learned that I couldn't care less about theirs. But… his reaction is making me feel a little guilty. Something about me saying that to him with that tone in my voice must have hurt him pretty badly, because he flinched, and now he's tearing up all of a sudden. What the hell is going on? Isn't this usually when he tries to make a stupid comeback or an empty threat? I'm actually a little interested to hear what he has to say now, and I watch him as he collects his thoughts and starts to respond.

"Well… Gaara… I… It's because we-" as he starts to say this, he takes a steps toward me, and I instinctively take a step back to maintain the already uncomfortable distance between us. But my foot immediately sinks through the air, and I realize I must have still been really close to the edge of the cliff.

I'm falling. This is it. My life is about to end. Shit, I hope the rumors about seeing your life flash before your eyes aren't true, because I really don't want to see any of it. Going through that pain once was bad enough.

My body relaxes, and I close my eyes, accepting my cruel and well-deserved fate. My arms float out in front of me, and I feel the cool wind rush past me as I fall backwards towards the raging waters. It's too bad, though, because now I'm going to die wondering what he was going to say and do… Is it possible? Could he have actually… cared? It sucks, because I guess I'll never know.

"Gaara!"

I feel Naruto grab my hand tightly and pull on my entire arm, and then I hear him gasp in surprise. The pulling sensation from him only lasts a moment, and when I finally open my eyes, he's right there above me, already falling off the edge of the cliff from trying and failing to stop my momentum.

"Shit!" he yells. There's this panic and desperation in his eyes and in his voice, and I immediately recognize it from when I was fighting him, and he was trying to protect and save his friends.

"No," is all I manage to choke out, like I'm denying the fact that he's going to die here because of me. This is another strange sensation; I desperately don't want him to die here… But why? Because he's the first person to sincerely care about what happens to me? Because he's the only person who's ever risked his life to save me? Because he's the only one who could possibly understand me? I… I don't want him to die… and suddenly, I don't want to die either. I want to hear what he was trying to say to me earlier… I… I want to stay here, alone with the only person who's ever been willing to give me a second – or even a first – chance (although preferably not in the freezing water, drowning).

"Hang on!" he yells, and I do as I'm told. I wrap my arms around his waist, and I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing myself. He manages to pull me closer into his chest and wrap his arms around me – his left arm wrapped around my upper back, and his right arm cradling the back of my head – before we hit the water with a loud splash.

The first thing I notice is how much pain I'm in, and that's the only thing my mind wants me to focus on. I shout in agony, but it's completely muffled by the water, and I just used up most of the air I had managed to inhale before the splash. My back feels like it's on fire, and I'm guessing it's from hitting my back on the river floor.

My body refuses to do what I tell it to. But I'm still moving, and I realize that it must be the current, dragging us along. _Us_. Is Naruto still okay? I'm now more aware of him again. I feel myself being pulled away from him by the strong currents; I try to hang on, even though I'm mostly trying not to drown. He's still got one of his arms around my upper back, gripping me tightly. The other one is slapping the top of the water, and I assume that's how he's trying to stay afloat. Even from under the water, I can hear him shouting in fear and gasping for air. I feel him push up on my back, and he manages to get me above the water, too… But only for a small moment, because with everything happening so fast, by the time I get ready to inhale, a wave washes over me, and I get dragged back under the water. Naruto gets pulled under too this time, and he's panicking, and trying desperately to get us both back up.

The back of my head smacks against something as the currents drag us along, and I feel the rest of the air escape my lungs. There's a warm feeling where I hit the back of my head and around my mouth… Am I…? Bleeding? I'm already flailing uncontrollably, clinging to my last moments here in this life. This is what always happens to me… As soon as I find a sliver of hope, it all gets taken away from me. I exhale involuntarily, and I feel my strength fading.

Naruto

This water is freezing cold, even though it's pretty warm outside. Wow, I _really_ can't get over how cold I am right now! I'm trying desperately not to panic, but my legs hurt so badly, and it's getting harder and harder for me to stay afloat. I was doing all right at first, but even _I_ don't have the strength to keep it up for very long. And that's just my suffering. Poor Gaara's been under the water for who-knows how long now? And he apparently can't swim, which _really_ isn't helping me right now. But I can't find the strength to push him to the surface like I did before… Speaking of which, he feels a lot heavier all of a sudden, and it's a lot harder for me to hold on to him… Is that because I'm getting weaker…? No, I don't think so. It happened all at once… I realize it's because he's let go of me, and the strong current wants to carry him far away from me. If he let go like that, then something must _really_ be wrong… Is he even still conscious…? Is he even…? Is he still alive? I've got to hurry and get him back above the water before it's too late (and _I'd_ also like to get back above the water, believe it)!

We're passing by a few jagged rocks, and I reach out to try and grab onto one of them. I can only hold on for a moment, since it's so sharp and slippery, but for that small moment, I manage to calm myself down a little. If I could grab onto that rock, even for a moment, even for a moment, I know I can grab onto another rock, and hopefully last longer. I reach out for another rock, and this time I get a better hold on it. The edges of the rock cut deep into my palm and it hurts a lot, but it's bearable, at least for now. I use all the strength I can muster up and pull Gaara up above the water. I expect him to gasp for air with relief – maybe it's just wishful thinking – but instead he's coughing weakly, and there's some water coming out of his mouth, along with a little blood… It looks like I was barely in time to save him. And he must have gotten really hurt, to be bleeding from the mouth like that… And his breathing's very strained; I'll have to help him when we get back to dry land…

Dry land… It sounds oh-so good to me right now! I look around us to see if there's anywhere I can try and get to. But all I can see are the sides of the surrounding cliffs and all the rocks I already passed by. A pretty big wave washes over us, and Gaara slips out of my grip slightly. I'm still able to hold onto him, but it was just enough so that he's just below the surface of the river, with his head hanging down. With my one tired arm, I can't seem to pull him back up. I need to hurry, or I'll lose him! I turn myself slightly, desperate to find a solution fast, and I vomit a little in my mouth; there's a waterfall. Right there. _Wow_, if I hadn't managed to stop myself at this exact place-

Of course, with my luck, when I turned to see the waterfall, the edges of the rock really dug into my palm, "Shit!" I curse, biting my lip to try and reel in the pain, so I can concentrate on holding on. In the midst of the cold water rushing by me, I can feel the warm blood from my palm all over my hand, and I can see little bits of red in the water passing by (Great, now we're _both_ bleeding). It hurts so badly, even more than before; I can't hold on anymore. But I can't try to grab on with my other hand, because I definitely can't let go of Gaara; he'd be swept away and down the waterfall the moment I let go of him… There's just no way out of this. Even if I _could _hold on, where would I go? What would I do? It's not like there's anyone coming to save me… There's just no way to escape the waterfall just meters away from me.

I finally slip, unable to hold on anymore, and the rock tears through my skin. I wince in pain, and shut my eyes tightly as we head right for the waterfall.

My entire body is numb from the chill of the water around me. But that suddenly isn't the case. Everything stops for a small moment, even though the noise remains. I feel… weightless. When I finally figure out what's happening, I scream, which is my first reaction to this kind of danger. I realize that I'm suddenly falling really fast. I look down, and I immediately wish I hadn't. It's such a long drop; it's making me a little dizzy! I've had this sensation before… When…? And… what did I do to save myself? … That's it!

"I'll protect you, Gaara… I promise," I say, even though I don't know if he can hear me. He probably can't, since he's unconscious, and the roar of the falls is just too loud, anyways. But it seems like I'm trying to convince _myself _of this more than him, if you get what I mean. If I make a promise, I know I'll go through with it somehow, because I never go back on my word. That somehow comforts and motivates me a little. I need to make sure we both make it out of this alive. I can do this; I know it. This is definitely not the time to screw up my summoning jutsu, and every time I've been really "afraid," I've managed to make it work. Well, I'm _definitely_ "afraid" right now! I'm scared out of my wits, so I'm surprised I even managed to think of this idea before we both just died here from the long fall into the shallow lake.

I finish the hand signs for the jutsu and pray silently, and I'm hoping it's Gamabunta, or at least another frog big enough to catch both Gaara and I. Oh, that's right; _Gaara_! I had let go of him to do the jutsu. I somehow manage to snatch him back up into my arms before we both land with a loud and painful thud.

I know I'm okay, even though I know I'll be covered in bruises. I sit up straight, and I'm still feeling a little panicky. I can't believe I'm still alive. But I'm freezing cold and soaking wet; I take off my orange and blue jacket and tie it around my waist, figuring that exposing my skin to the warm bright sun rather than my cold wet jacket is a good idea. It is; I'm already feeling a little warmer, even though my black T-shirt – that I always wear underneath my jacket – is still cold and wet.

I cradled Gaara's head when we fell, so I hope he's all right, too. I check him, and his skin is freezing cold. But as I carry him – I'm trying not to collapse… He's pretty light, but my muscles are cold and uncooperative – off of Gamabunta's back and onto the ground near the edge of the lake, I figure something out that I hadn't known before; he's… not breathing. How long has he been like this? I start to panic, but I try to remember how I can save him. I gently place him down, on his back, and I hesitate a little, wondering how he would react if he knew what I was about to do.

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And that's the end of the first chapter. :) Please review and tell me what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Gaara

As soon as I'm conscious, I can't focus on anything else but the urgent need to cough. So I do, and in reaction, my body abruptly sits up, and I smack into something warm right as I do. It's Naruto, I realize, and he's sent reeling backwards with a loud gasp. His hands catch his weight just before he hits his head on the ground. Why was he so close to me?

I'm still coughing and trying to sit up, and Naruto quickly recovers. I feel his hand on my back, pushing me all the way to a sitting position so that I'm leaning forward a little, and staring at my knees. He gives me this strange and almost sympathetic look, and then, with that same hand – now in a fist – he hits me repeatedly. My back is still very sensitive from before, so it hurts like hell. I shout in pain, embarrassingly enough. He pauses for a moment, a little afraid from my reaction, but then he continues. Even though I'm in a lot of pain, I guess I'm a bit grateful, because it's really helping me get all the water up and out of my chest. I'm coughing up a lot of water, and I swear I saw a little bit of blood a second ago. Naruto must have seen it too, because he suddenly stops pounding on my back, like it was his fault or something.

"Are you okay?" he asks me with this sincere concern in his tone that I'm not used to hearing. He's holding almost all of my weight, since I'm still having trouble sitting up by myself.

I'm not "okay," but I'm not going to tell him that. I guess I don't have to yet, considering that every time I breathe, I need to cough up more water. I'm in an excruciating amount of pain, especially in my chest and my back. But that's almost secondary compared to how cold I am right now. My skin is numb and prickly-feeling from how freezing I am, and I realize in between coughs that I'm shivering… I can't stop my body from shaking. There's a cool breeze, and it feels like needles stabbing against my sensitive skin… I actually don't know what that feels like, but I'll bet it's really painful.

Naruto

After a while, Gaara finally stops coughing… to an extent. It's a good thing, because the blood he was coughing up was starting to make me really nervous. But my relief is instantly replaced with panic. Now that he's more still, I can see that he's shaking violently, and sliding his hands up and down his arms in a fruitless attempt to warm up. In the time I've had sitting in the sun, I've dried off and warmed up quite a bit. And even before, I was probably still warmer than he is right now. I scoot over so that I'm sitting in front of him, and I grab him by his shoulders. I pull him closer to me, trying to warm him up. It's hard for me not to wince and pull away from him; it's like holding ice cubes and feeling your hands go numb, except that I'm also feeling that sensation in my arms, my chest, and my shoulders.

"You're freezing cold," I comment, and he says something sarcastic like "don't I know," or "you're telling me," but his voice is muffled by my shoulder.

He's still shaking uncontrollably, and he looks up at me, his expression reminding me so much of a wounded and abandoned puppy. That expression looks so odd on his face; it's hard not to smile and laugh. But I must have still given him a funny look, because he quickly looks back down, leaning the side of his face against my chest. I try not to gasp from how cold his face is against my thin and wet T-shirt. I slide my hand up and down his back, and it seems to calm him down, even if only a little bit.

I know he won't make it if we stay here much longer. I'm not warm enough to actually help him; I need to find him somewhere warmer, or at least find him a blanket. My immediate thought is to just take him home with me, because at least I know where that is, and I know he'll be warm and welcome there, even if it's not the closest place. I'd rather not risk wasting even more precious time looking around for somewhere nearby.

I try to pull him to his feet, but his knees buckle and his legs give out beneath him, making him fall forwards into me. It's a good thing I was paying attention; I manage to catch him before he falls all the way back down.

"Thanks," he murmurs, struggling to stand on his own. He stands there, trembling, and I'm wondering if he would totally object to me just carrying him there. It would go so much faster, and speed is the key here. But I know if I ask him permission, he'll just say "no" right away. He just seems like the stubborn and independent type, like I used to be… Well, maybe I still am, a _little_…

Before he can try to move anywhere on his own, I scoop him up in my arms to carry him. He gasps in surprise and squirms in protest, but of course I ignore it. He glares up at me, but he stops his pointless struggling long enough for me to start heading home.

He wraps his arms around my neck, and I think it was in an attempt to make it easier for me to carry him. Yeah, it's easier to carry him now, but I have to try hard not to wince at how cold his arms still are. He realizes this, and shoots an apologetic glance up at me. I just smile back at him. I guess I'm just relieved that it seems like we might actually become friends, even after everything... He sees my smile and tilts his head slightly to the side, giving me this confused and frustrated look.

"What's wrong?"

He pauses, probably trying to sort out his thoughts. He looks like he has a lot to say, but he keeps stopping himself from saying it. He still looks really frustrated, and I'm wondering if it's because he's mad at me. I saved his life, but what if he really didn't want to be saved? I thought I could change his mind, but maybe I was wrong… He opens his mouth to say something to me, but he bites his lip to stop himself.

"No, go ahead, Gaara. Say what you were about to say," I urge him, still walking, but now at a slightly faster pace, eager to get him to safety. I see the gates to the village getting closer and closer.

"I don't understand…" he starts.

"Don't understand what?"

"Why did you talk to me in the first place, if you thought that it was me?"

I immediately understand what he means. He's talking about the conversation from right before we fell. I try to think of something to say, but I'm surprised that I don't have to.

He picks up where he left off, "I don't get it… I thought you hated me… And that you'd be relieved if I were to just die… B-But you tried to stop me… And then you risked you own life to save me when I f-fell… And you've been so nice to me… T-This whole t-time…" he bites his lip again. I realize that he's stammering because he's still shivering, and I walk even faster.

"Oh…" I murmur in response – I can't really think of anything else to say at the moment – as I carry him through the gates and into the village. That's something I find interesting about him. He actually pays attention to things, except it seems like he takes the things he sees and always assumes the worst. I don't blame him, though; sadly, for him, it usually _is _the worst. There are so many things I want to say, but I have to figure out what to say _first_. I'll get the obvious over with right away, since I don't think he even understands that part yet, "Gaara… Of course I don't hate you-"

When I say this, his head perks up and he looks me dead in the eyes with a sincerely startled expression, "Wait… You don't?"

I shake my head "no," smiling.

"Even after… everything I did?" He presses, looking guilty all of a sudden. Both of us are quiet for a moment, and I can tell he's remembering the same horrible things as I am.

"Well… I certainly don't suggest you do it again," I say, trying to lighten the mood. I laugh at my own joke, and he sort of half-smiles up at me in relief.

I realize we're well into Konohagakure now. There are so many people out today… And they're all staring at Gaara and me… Oh yeah, I guess it does look a little weird for me to be carrying him "bridal style" through the village, especially since we're both guys. But now I'm starting to notice that people seem to be more concerned with the fact that someone as infamous and frightening as Gaara is even in the village in the first place. Damn, I suddenly feel really bad for him. He has his face hidden, and I can feel him tensing up in my arms.

I feel him shudder, and I remember what I'm here for. I break into a run, seeing my apartment building coming up on my right. I jump up to my floor and shuffle quickly down the hallway.

"Almost there," I murmur to Gaara, who's still shivering. I look down at him when he doesn't respond, and his face looks so pale. Like, even more than usual. He looks sick. His eyes are half open, and he has his mouth in a thin line, like he's in pain, and I realize it's because he probably is. I hurriedly open the door and swipe a blanket off of my bed. I wrap it around his shoulders and lead him over to sit on the edge of my bed (I have to lead him because there are so many things to trip over on the way).

"Umm… Sorry it's such a mess," I say quickly, and it feels like I'm blushing, but I can't be sure. I dodge several miscellaneous objects littering the floor and work my way over to my dresser. I go to the bottom drawer and pull out a black shirt and black shorts; I figure that's a pretty safe choice, considering I'm dealing with someone like Gaara. I toss the clothes over to him, and he just stares at them silently with a confused expression on his face.

"I promise I won't look," I say as I dig through the drawer to find myself something to change into.

He finally gets the message, "Oh, N-Naruto, you didn't have to-"

"Just change," I cut him off.

There's a long pause, "Thank you," Gaara finally murmurs, and I can hear that it sounds really sincere.

"No problem."

I eventually find an orange and white shirt and dark blue shorts. I cautiously turn around, but Gaara's fully dressed already. He's practically swimming in my clothes; they're way too big on him. He had taken his sandals off while changing, and he's sitting on my bed with both his arms and his legs crossed. I stand there stupidly, holding my clothes in my hands.

"Oh," he says suddenly, and puts a hand over his eyes signaling I could change, "I promise I won't look," he mimics me, smiling the slightest bit. I snort lightly.

Man, I feel so much better now that I have warm and dry clothes on. I sit next to Gaara on my bed and fold my legs like a pretzel. I look at him; he's acting like he's feeling better, but he still looks horrible. He jumps a little when I feel his forehead with my palm, "You're really warm…" I say, frowning.

"I thought I was 'freezing,'" he says with sarcasm, and it makes me want to smack him upside the head. Do _I_ do that to _Sakura_, I wonder?

"Not anymore, apparently," I say, getting up, "Now you've got a hell-of-a fever…" He tries to get up too, but immediately plops back down on the bed with this dazed expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" I ask, a little distracted as I look through cabinets.

"Yeah… Dizzy spell," he says it like it's no big deal, but his expression still bothers me. He looks like he's suffering and trying to hide it. I find and grab a face cloth from the cabinet and run it under cold water. I bring it over to him, "Lay down," I say, motioning at the pillows on the bed.

"But Naruto, I-"

"Just fucking lay down, Gaara."

There was a playful tone in my voice – at least I thought so – but I think the unnecessary swear was what really got him to do what I said (I'll have to remember that). I put the cool cloth on his forehead, and he lets out a soft sigh in relief.

I pull the blankets up to his shoulders, and he gives me this guilty and apologetic expression.

"It's fine," I say quickly. He smiles weakly, "Thanks," he murmurs, his voice cracking a little. He looks so awful; I'm glad I took him home with me to take care of him.

Gaara

It's not warm in Naruto's apartment, but I'm sweating a little. Maybe it's because of the fever I have. My body doesn't take up a lot of space on his bed, so he sits on the edge next to me. He talks to me, telling me all sorts of things about himself… his past, his dreams, his friends, his missions… and I listen. I'm noticing that I'm actually eager to hear what he has to say. Maybe it's because no one else has ever sat down and just casually talked to me like he is. I'm… actually enjoying spending time with him like this.

He finally runs out of things to say, and my thoughts are racing. I decide to ask the question that's been plaguing me for a few minutes now, "Naruto?" I check to see if he's really listening, since he has his face buried in his manga.

His head perks up, "Something wrong?" he asks quickly, sounding a little concerned, which some sick, twisted, and lonely part of me really enjoys. I'm still not used to someone actually worrying about me, but it's really nice, I've decided.

"No… Nothing's wrong…" I respond, and I realize it takes a lot of effort to talk loudly enough for him to hear. My whole body feels weak, "But, umm… Does this mean that we're…? Maybe… Friends?" I ask, biting my lip after saying it. I already wish I could take it back when I see several different expressions appear on his face, one by one. I don't know what to think of them all.

Naruto

"Well, yeah, silly," I say when Gaara asks a stupid question. _Of course_ we're friends.

"Huh?" He looks sincerely surprised. I think he honestly thought I still hated him. I actually _never_ hated him, believe it or not. Sure, I got pretty pissed at him that one time, but… I don't think I ever sincerely _hated _him.

I roll my eyes, "Why wouldn't we be friends, after everything we've been through?"

I see this pained and guilty expression on Gaara's face, and I know exactly what he's thinking. I try to cheer him up, "Well, I can't speak for everyone else, but I know that at least _I've_ forgiven you."

He smiles weakly at me, and I can't help but smile back. I glance out the window, and I'm surprised that it's already dark outside. It's a clear night, and I can see a few stars through the glass.

I break the silence that's been lingering in the air for almost a minute now, "Anyways, you should get some sleep."

"Really? Should I?" Gaara questions me, and he gives me this weird look.

"Oh yeah… You can't… Ha… That wouldn't end well… But then how are you supposed to get better?"

"I don't know… I… don't usually get sick in the first place." His expression looks a little unknowing and afraid, which really scares me.

The mood in the room suddenly changes, and my body – especially my chest – feels heavy all of a sudden. I look at his face, which has lost every ounce of the little color it had before, and that really makes the dark rings around his eyes jump out. His forehead is covered by a thin layer of sweat, and his eyes are bloodshot. I don't think he looked this bad earlier… Yeah, just over an hour ago, he was looking so much better than this… My fear is turning into a reality… He's getting worse.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I'm so sorry. I finished this story a while ago, but when I went to update it, the site was giving me problems. So I put up the last chapter on deviantart, and I totally forgot to go back and post it here, too. I just got a comment about how I haven't updated in a while, and I realized it's because I never finished!!! O.0 Again, I'm sorry, and well, here it is.

Chapter 3

Gaara

Naruto looks really worried all of a sudden, and I realize that it's probably because of my worsening condition, "I'll be fine," I say suddenly, trying to dismiss his concerns. I might not be "fine," but that's for me to worry about, not him.

"I hope you're right," he says, frowning at me. His eyes show me that he's not buying it at all, and it makes me feel a little afraid. He suppresses a yawn. Even though I don't sleep, he definitely should. He looks almost as exhausted as I am right now.

"You're the one who should be getting some sleep," I say blankly, turning it around on him. I sit up in bed, and he gives me this panicked look. I ignore it and scoot over to the edge of the bed closest to the wall, leaving more than enough room for him. He reluctantly moves over a little so he can lie down.

He looks guilty, "I don't want to leave you alone."

I have to hide my smile. Never in my life had I thought I'd ever hear that sentence, "But you'll be right next to me," I say, giving him an annoyed look.

"I know, but you won't wake me up if you need me… You're so stubborn that way."

He reads me like a book, and he hasn't even known me for that long. I don't know how; no one else has ever done anything like that before. Even my own siblings – who have to deal with me pretty much every day – still don't know anything about me. All everyone else sees in me is danger. I guess I'm just surprised to hear someone telling me something about myself that's actually true, because no one else has ever cared enough to take the time to get to know me for who I really am.

He sits next to me, pouting like a small child (And I'm the "stubborn" one?). But he eventually falls asleep next to me. I'm guessing it's around four o' clock in the morning.

Naruto snores really loudly, I soon discover, and he also drools and talks in his sleep. I try not to laugh when I realize he's having some really good dream about Sasuke. I carefully slide out of bed, making sure not to wake him up. I look for books to read, but after a few minutes of not finding any, I realize that he's not the "reading" type. But there are plenty of comics scattered around, like the manga he was reading earlier. I find the first seven volumes of that series, and I bring them back to bed with me, hoping they'll keep me busy until Naruto wakes up.

At around eight o' clock, I feel him stirring beside me, which surprises me; I thought he'd be out cold for much longer. He opens his eyes and sits up slowly, yawning, "Are you feeling any better?" he turns and asks me right away, with a hopeful tone in his voice. I can't help but smile a little; I'm still not used to having someone worry about me.

"Yeah, a little," I lie. I'm hoping he won't notice how sick I still am and call me on it.

"That's… Great," he says slowly, smiling a little bit. But there's something in his eyes that makes me wonder if he really believes me. He confirms my suspicion, leaning over and putting his hand on my forehead, he's checking my temperature, "But you're still so warm," he continues, looking disappointed. I bite my lip, not knowing exactly how to respond.

I really like being here with Naruto; it's so nice to have someone who actually cares about me… Someone for me to talk to… Confide in… But I know that I have to leave. It's inevitable. I can't just stay here with Naruto and live happily ever after. As soon as I feel well enough, I have to head back to Sunagakure. But that's the part that plagues me the most. Heading back there… I'd be going back to that horrible isolation that's pushed me over the edge so many times already. I'd be going back to being surrounded by people, but still with no one to talk to… I'd still be alone… And would they even let me back into the village? This would be the perfect opportunity for them to try and get me away from the village for good, and maybe even finally find a way to kill me. They could tag me as a wanted shinobi… Oh, wait… They've done that already… But they'd probably up the bounty on my head, so that even stronger shinobi would start going after me.

Kankuro, Baki, and Temari's faces flash by in my mind, and I wonder if they've forgotten about me already. I wish things could somehow be different. But this is how it is… How it's always been… Always will be…

Naruto

"What's bothering you?" I ask suddenly, when I see Gaara looking so upset. I know he's sick and all, but I know that can't be what's making him so depressed. He's got this lonely and pathetic look on his face, and that really bothers me.

"Everything," he murmurs, moving over and swinging his legs to hang over the edge of the bed. I do the same, and I sit close to him on his left. He's leaning forward a little, with his hands on his knees.

"I can't help unless you're more specific, Gaara."

He sighs, and judging from his expression, it looks like he'll actually tell me what's wrong. I'm pleasantly surprised. I had thought for sure that he would just brush me off like he's fine… Like he usually does… Like he just did when I asked him how he was feeling. Yeah, I know it was a lie. He's a horrible liar.

"I'm worried…" he pauses and folds his arms across his chest, and I realize he's still afraid to talk to me, and to fully trust me.

"Worried about what?" I ask. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops himself, "Gaara, you can tell me anything… I hope you know that… What is it?"

"I'm worried… About going back home…" he murmurs with this really hopeless expression on his face.

"Oh," I say solemnly, knowing that when he goes home, he'll be all alone again, which is right back to where he started, "Gaara… Did you ever think about trying again, now that you're older?" He gives me a confused look, so I elaborate, "Did you ever think about… Starting over?"

"Oh… Yeah, I have. And I've started trying…" his lower lip quivers a little, and he puts his hand over his mouth to try and cover it up.

"I know it's hard, but you've got to keep trying… Keep at it, and sooner or later you'll find someone who will listen," I say, thinking of Iruka-sensei, and how he was there for me.

"I'll never find… Someone else like you," he says, frowning at the floor. His face turns almost as red as his hair.

I guess I'm a little flattered, but that doesn't stop me from taking the opportunity to tell him everything. I want to help him, and I think I have a great chance right now.

"I used to think that way, too," I say, smiling a little. He gives me this slightly skeptical expression, "Yeah… I used to think that I'd never find a friend, and that I'd live alone until I finally died alone. But then I found Iruka-sensei, and he made me feel like I was worth something. He made me want to make something of myself. And then I found Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke… And no matter how many other people hated me and feared me, I could get through it, because I knew I wasn't alone anymore." I pause, and I see that Gaara's fully absorbed in what I'm saying, and it looks like he's finally beginning to understand, "What I'm getting at is, you're not alone anymore, Gaara. No matter what other people think and say, you've got me on your side, at least. You'll never be completely alone, Gaara. No matter how far apart we are, and no matter how corny this sounds, I'll always be right here," I gently place my hand on his chest near where his heart is.

That strikes a nerve. He flinches slightly in alarm, and I wish I could tell exactly what he was thinking, so I could help him. I probably triggered some bad memory… Maybe back from his childhood – it seems that someone like him would have plenty of those, just like I do – judging by the torn and vulnerable expression on his face, and the fact that he's staring past me now, rather than at me.

After a painfully long moment, he takes my hand that's still resting on his chest, and holds it there, "Right…" he says almost inaudibly, and he looks up at me, smiling hesitantly, and then more and more as his confidence grows, along with his trust in me, "Thank you… Thank you so much, Naruto…"

Gaara

As much as I assume that my siblings will completely ignore my attempts at creating a bond with them, I'm suddenly eager to try. Naruto's corny pep talk really helped me realize that there's still hope for me, even if only a little bit.

I thank him, and he pulls me into a warm embrace. I flinch a little, but then I hug him back. He's… My very first friend… Someone I can trust… I'm… I'm really not alone anymore. I gently pull away after a few moments, and he's beaming at me, as I smile back at him. I stand up, still feeling a little tired and dizzy, but it's not nearly enough to stop me.

Naruto hands me my clothes from yesterday, and they're still a little damp, "Thanks," I say. He nods his head as if saying, "You're welcome," and walks with me out of his apartment.

Naruto

I was all set to walk Gaara over to the gates of the village and watch him head back home, but now I'm having second thoughts. He's trembling as he walks beside me, and it makes me really worried about him walking all the way to Sunagakure by himself. He's got his gourd strapped on his back, and he's leaning forwards more than usual, obviously having a lot of trouble (I don't know how he carries that thing in the first place. I tried picking it up to give it to him, and I think I pulled a muscle). I slip my arm in between his waist and the gourd, supporting him in case he loses what little strength he has left and collapses. He leans against me a little, and that really worries me. He's usually so independent, but now he's accepting my help without (much) hesitation. He must still be hurting so much; he's still so sick and worn out.

"Maybe you should stay one more day… I'm really worried about you," I say with honesty.

He hesitates, but then says, "I'll be fine, Naruto." His voice cracks a little as he says this, and his breathing is very strained and labored.

"Very convincing, Gaara," I say with loads of sarcasm, grabbing his arm and stopping him in his tracks, "Now c'mon, let's head back home."

"No, Naruto," he says, fighting against my pulling him, "I need to go back to Suna. As much as I like having you with me… And taking care of me…" he smiles for a second, but then shakes his head, as if dismissing a thought he had, which was probably something about staying with me, "I need to get back home before… it's too late. I finally have some hope, and I'm not going to let this chance slip by me."

I'm so proud and pleasantly surprised by the confidence and the drive in his voice that my grip loosens a little, and it's enough for him to wriggle away from me. He starts walking again, and I easily catch up to him and keep up with his pace.

"At least let me go with you."

He stops suddenly, and I walk right into him. He ignores it and slowly turns to look at me, this weird expression present on his face.

"What?" I ask, wondering what's wrong.

"Could… Could you really do that?" He looks guilty for asking me that, but hopeful at the same time. He actually needs and wants my help and company, and that makes me smile.

Gaara

So in the end, I guess we both get our way. I get to go home right away, and Naruto gets to make sure I'm all right… It's still so hard for me to register the fact that someone's worrying about me that much.

We talk a lot, walk at a slow pace, and take quite a few breaks because I'm still not feeling one hundred percent yet. Because of this, it takes us about four and a half days to get to Sunagakure, rather than the usual three.

We hadn't planned on it taking us this long, and we didn't do a great job rationing our food, so by the time we get to Suna, we're both starving from not eating for almost a whole day. I buy Naruto some food and water to help get him back safely to Konohagakure, knowing that he doesn't have the money to be buying it himself. He gets embarrassed, but I know that it'll really help him financially. I've been lucky in that department, at least. I don't think I've ever had to worry about money; my father was very rich, being the Kazekage and all, and my siblings and I complete so many difficult missions; the money always rolls in.

After I get changed, leave my gourd at home, and help Naruto fill his pack with food, I offer to take him out to eat before he heads back for Konoha. He immediately spots a ramen shop and darts inside, dragging me along.

"I love ramen!" he squeals like a little kid in a candy store. I smile, because it's so hard not to when I see him so happy like this. It's a bit contagious, I guess.

Ramen has never been one of my favorite foods, but I guess it tastes pretty good, especially when I'm desperate and starving like I am right now.

We don't talk much, considering we're both busy stuffing out faces. I'm stuffed after I have two small bowls, and I look over at Naruto, who's finishing his fourth and licking his lips with a gleam in his eyes. I laugh internally at both his expression and his appetite.

"That was really great," he says as we walk out, smiling at me, "I like Ichiraku better, but this place has good ramen, too." I vaguely understand that he was referring to the ramen shop back in Konoha, "Thanks," he says softly with a guilty expression, staring at my wallet as I put it back in my pocket.

"Oh, it's no problem… Especially… After everything you've done for me," I respond, smiling a little bit. He grins back, looking relieved.

I walk him over to the gate to the village, "So… I guess this is goodbye, then," Naruto murmurs with a sheepish tone to his voice. He looks a little disappointed, which makes me feel a little better, thinking he might actually miss me.

"Thank you so much… For everything," I say, and I hope he knows that I really mean it.

"You're welcome, Gaara," he says, beaming, "And in case you don't already know, if you ever need anything, like someone to talk to, send me a letter… Or, you know where to find me," he finished, grinning, as if he was hinting at me to visit Konoha sometime. I'd definitely have to take him up on that offer.

"And if you ever need anything, you can ask me," I mimic him, and he smiles, "I owe you so much, anyways," I add, playfully rolling my eyes… Since when do I act like this? It feels a little weird and out of place, but in some odd way, I like it. I suddenly realize that people are staring at us in nervous confusion, but I really don't care.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to take advantage of that sometime," he says, laughing a little. He turns to leave, but then stops and turns back around to face me again, "Good luck… with everything," he says, "I'm sure it'll all work out somehow."

"Thanks," I say, and I realize his reassuring actually helps me. If he can create and maintain bonds, I can too, I decide… In fact, I already have my first one. He waves goodbye to me, and I wave back, and then he turns and leaves. I watch him walk away through the desert until I can't see him anymore.

I head home to see my siblings, with that same eagerness and nervous excitement I felt as I left Konoha, and it's coursing through me even stronger now. I'm determined and hopeful that it'll all work out somehow, but no matter what happens tonight, or at any time, I know that I'm not alone anymore… Never again, and that's more than enough to keep me going.

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The end. :)

Sorry about how corny and fluffy it got near the end. Ha.


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